Thermal module and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A thermal module and a manufacturing method thereof. The thermal module includes a retainer member and at least one heat conduction member. The retainer has a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm opposite to the first clamping arm. The heat conduction member is disposed and fixedly clamped between the first and second clamping arms. The retainer member is formed by means of punching and integrally connected with the heat conduction member also by means of punching so that the manufacturing cost of the thermal module is lowered and the heat dissipation efficiency of the thermal module is enhanced.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a thermal module and a manufacturingmethod thereof, and more particularly to a thermal module manufacturedat lower cost and a manufacturing method of the thermal module.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional thermal module is mainly composed of a heat dissipationbase seat and heat pipes passing through the heat dissipation base seat.The heat pipes are generally securely affixed to the heat dissipationbase seat by means of welding. However, in the case that the heatdissipation base seat and the heat pipes are made of different metalmaterials with different performances, (for example, the heat pipes aremade of copper material, while the radiating fins are made of aluminummaterial), it will be hard to securely connect the heat dissipation baseseat with the heat pipes. This is because an aluminum material can behardly connected with other kinds of materials by means of commonwelding process. An aluminum material can be welded with anotheraluminum material by means of some special welding processes (such asargon welding). However, the aluminum material cannot be welded to acopper material with different performances by means of argon welding.Therefore, prior to the welding process, it is necessary first coat thealuminum-made radiating fins with a coating to facilitate the successivewelding process. Such procedure is quite troublesome.

In some other cases, the heat dissipation base seat is formed withperforations or channels for receiving the heat pipes that are connectedwith the heat dissipation base seat. In such thermal module, the heatdissipation base seat is in contact with a heat source to absorb theheat generated by the heat source and then transfer the heat to the heatpipe. Such thermal module has a heat conduction efficiency much lowerthan that of a thermal module in which the heat pipes are in directcontact with the heat source. Moreover, the thermal module with the heatdissipation base seat has a heavier weight and larger volume and ismanufactured at higher cost as a whole. It is inconvenient to install ortransfer such thermal module. Therefore, such thermal module can behardly applied to an electronic device with narrow interior space.

Therefore, the conventional thermal module has the followingshortcomings:

1. The heat conduction efficiency is poor.

2. The manufacturing cost is higher.

3. The application site is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a thermalmodule, which has simplified structure and can be quickly assembled.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturingmethod of a thermal module. By means of the manufacturing method, thethermal module can be manufactured at lower cost.

To achieve the above and other objects, the thermal module of thepresent invention includes a retainer member and at least one heatconduction member. The retainer has a first clamping arm and a secondclamping arm opposite to the first clamping arm. The heat conductionmember is disposed and fixedly clamped between the first and secondclamping arms.

To achieve the above and other objects, the manufacturing method of thethermal module of the present invention includes steps of: providing ametal board and at least one heat conduction member; primarily punchingthe metal board to form a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm;secondarily punching the metal board to form a retainer member with apredetermined profile; and placing the heat conduction member on oneface of the formed retainer member and applying a force to the first andsecond clamping arms to bend the first and second clamping arms towardthe heat conduction member to tightly hold the heat conduction memberand connect the heat conduction member with the retainer member.

The thermal module has a simplified structure and lighter weight and canbe easily directly assembled with the heat pipes.

By means of the manufacturing method, the thermal module can bemanufactured at much lower cost.

Therefore, the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The thermal module of the present invention has simplified structure.

2. The thermal module of the present invention has better heatconduction efficiency.

3. The thermal module of the present invention is manufactured at lowercost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present inventionto achieve the above and other objects can be best understood byreferring to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of thethermal module of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of thethermal module of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective assembled view of a second embodiment of thethermal module of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the manufacturing method of the thermal moduleof the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a step of the manufacturing method of the thermal module ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6 shows another step of the manufacturing method of the thermalmodule of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows still another step of the manufacturing method of thethermal module of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows still another step of the manufacturing method of thethermal module of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows still another step of the manufacturing method of thethermal module of the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows still another step of the manufacturing method of thethermal module of the present invention;

FIG. 11 shows still another step of the manufacturing method of thethermal module of the present invention;

FIG. 12 shows still another step of the manufacturing method of thethermal module of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 shows still another step of the manufacturing method of thethermal module of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view ofa first embodiment of the thermal module of the present invention. FIG.2 is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the thermalmodule of the present invention. According to the first embodiment, thethermal module 1 includes a retainer member 11 and at least one heatconduction member 12.

The retainer member 11 has a first clamping arm 111 and a secondclamping arm 112 opposite to the first clamping arm 111.

The first clamping arm 111 and the retainer member 11 containtherebetween a first angle 113. The second clamping arm 112 and theretainer member 11 contain therebetween a second angle 114.

The first clamping arm 111 has a first free side 1111, a second freeside 1112, a third free side 1113 and a first connection side 1114connected with the retainer member 11. The second clamping arm 112 has afourth free side 1121, a fifth free side 1122, a sixth free side 1123and a second connection side 1124 connected with the retainer member 11.

The heat conduction member 12 has a heat absorption face 121. The heatconduction member 12 is disposed and fixedly clamped between the firstand second clamping arms 111, 112, whereby the heat conduction member 12and the retainer member 11 together form an integral body. The heatabsorption face 121 is in direct contact with a heat source to enhanceheat dissipation efficiency and lower manufacturing cost.

The heat conduction member 12 is a member selected from a groupconsisting of heat pipe, heat spreader, flat-plate heat pipe and heatconduction metal. In this embodiment, the heat conduction member 12 is,but not limited to, a heat pipe.

Please refer to FIG. 3, which is a perspective assembled view of asecond embodiment of the thermal module of the present invention. Thesecond embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment andthus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The second embodimentis only different from the first embodiment in that the retainer member11 further has a first extension section 115, a second extension section116, a third extension section 117 and a fourth extension section 118,which extend from the retainer member 11 in different directions. Thefirst, second, third and fourth extension sections 115, 116, 117, 118respectively have a first through hole 1151, a second through hole 1161,a third through hole 1171 and a fourth through hole 1181. Four fasteningmembers 4 (such as screws) are respectively correspondingly passedthrough the through holes to fix the retainer member 11 on a chassis 5.

Please refer to FIGS. 4 to 13. FIG. 4 is a flow chart of themanufacturing method of the thermal module of the present invention.FIGS. 5 to 13 show the steps of the manufacturing method of the thermalmodule of the present invention. Also with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2,the manufacturing method of the thermal module of the present inventionincludes steps of:

S1: providing a metal board and at least one heat conduction member, ametal board 2 and a heat conduction member 12 being provided, the heatconduction member 12 being a member selected from a group consisting ofheat pipe, heat spreader, flat-plate heat pipe and heat conductionmetal, in this embodiment, the heat conduction member 12 being, but notlimited to, a heat pipe;

S2: primarily punching the metal board to form a first clamping arm anda second clamping arm, the metal board 2 being placed on a punchingmachine 3 and primarily punched by means of slot punch process to formthe first and second clamping arms 111, 112;

S3: secondarily punching the metal board to form a retainer member witha predetermined profile, the metal board 2 being secondarily punchedwith a punch head 31 of the punching machine 3 by means of laying-offprocess under a high-speed punching force along the predeterminedprofile of the retainer 11 to achieve the retainer 11; and

S4: placing the heat conduction member on one face of the formedretainer member and applying a force to the first and second clampingarms to bend the first and second clamping arms toward the heatconduction member to tightly hold the heat conduction member and connectthe heat conduction member with the retainer member, the heat conductionmember 12 being attached to the formed retainer member 11, the first andsecond clamping arms 111, 112 being then forcedly bent toward the heatconduction member 12 by means of punching to securely hold the heatconduction member 12, alternatively, the first and second clamping arms111, 112 being then manually forcedly bent toward the heat conductionmember 12 by means of a hand tool (not shown) to securely hold the heatconduction member 12.

In this embodiment, the punching process is a stage-by-stage punchingprocess. However, the punching process of the present invention is notlimited to the stage-by-by punching process. Alternatively, the punchingprocess can be a continuous punching process.

The thermal module 1 of the present invention has simplified structureand is free from the heat dissipation base seat of the conventionalthermal module in contact with the heat source. Therefore, the thermalmodule of the present invention has much smaller volume and much lighterweight.

By means of the manufacturing method of the thermal module of thepresent invention, the manufacturing time of the thermal module isshortened and the manufacturing cost of the thermal module is lowered.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention,not intended to limit the scope thereof. It is understood that manychanges and modifications of the above embodiments can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of thepresent invention is limited only by the appended claims.

1. A thermal module comprising: a retainer member having a firstclamping arm and a second clamping arm opposite to the first clampingarm; and at least one heat conduction member disposed and fixedlyclamped between the first and second clamping arms.
 2. The thermalmodule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat conduction member isselected from a group consisting of heat pipe, heat spreader, flat-plateheat pipe and heat conduction metal.
 3. The thermal module as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first clamping arm has a first free side, a secondfree side, a third free side and a first connection side connected withthe retainer member, while the second clamping arm has a fourth freeside, a fifth free side, a sixth free side and a second connection sideconnected with the retainer member.
 4. The thermal module as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the retainer member further has a first extensionsection, a second extension section, a third extension section and afourth extension section, which extend from the retainer member indifferent directions, the first, second, third and fourth extensionsections respectively having a first through hole, a second throughhole, a third through hole and a fourth through hole.
 5. The thermalmodule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first clamping arm and theretainer member contain therebetween a first angle, while the secondclamping arm and the retainer member contain therebetween a secondangle.
 6. A manufacturing method of a thermal module, comprising stepsof: providing a metal board and at least one heat conduction member;primarily punching the metal board to form a first clamping arm and asecond clamping arm; secondarily punching the metal board to form aretainer member with a predetermined profile; and placing the heatconduction member on one face of the formed retainer member and applyinga force to the first and second clamping arms to bend the first andsecond clamping arms toward the heat conduction member to tightly holdthe heat conduction member and connect the heat conduction member withthe retainer member.
 7. The manufacturing method of the thermal moduleas claimed in claim 6, wherein in the step of primarily punching themetal board, the metal board is primarily punched by means of slot punchprocess.
 8. The manufacturing method of the thermal module as claimed inclaim 6, wherein in the step of secondarily punching the metal board,the metal board is secondarily punched by means of laying-off process.9. The manufacturing method of the thermal module as claimed in claim 6,wherein in the step of placing the heat conduction member on one face ofthe formed retainer member and applying a force to the first and secondclamping arms, the heat conduction member is attached to the formedretainer member and then the first and second clamping arms are forcedlybent toward the heat conduction member by means of punching to securelyhold the heat conduction member.
 10. The manufacturing method of thethermal module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the heat conduction memberis selected from a group consisting of heat pipe, heat spreader,flat-plate heat pipe and heat conduction metal.